British Council – Teacher of English (Full Time)
Job description
British Council – We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.
We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.
Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.
What’s it like to work at the British Council as a Teacher?
Teacher’s Success Story
Job Overview
The British Council Sri Lanka offers a diverse range of English courses for audiences from preschoolers to business professionals and emigrants, alongside professional skills training for corporate clients and teacher training programs.
The Teaching Centres in Colombo, Kandy, Jaffna and partner centre in Matara represent one of the largest teaching operations in the British Council network, with over 6,000 students registered for courses each term. We also deliver English skills training to private and public sector clients.
Role Purpose
• To maintain and enhance professional development and academic quality in the teaching centre, through the management of in-house teacher development programme and support
• To promote and ensure quality teaching and effective learning of English
• To provide learners with a rewarding and stimulating English language learning experience
• To support the wider aims of the British Council and its cultural relations mission
Main Accountabilities
• Teaching classes according to agreed schedules and standards and ensuring an effective learning experience
• Ensuring teaching meets Teaching Quality standards and organisational expectations
• Maintaining good relationships with customers and colleagues
• Representing the British Council’s values and supporting its plans in Sri Lanka
• Enhancing the reputation of UK English teaching
Responsibilities & Main Duties:
• To plan, prepare and deliver effective English language teaching that meets the needs of different learner groups.
• To monitor progress and provide regular feedback to help manage learners’ performance throughout the course, and to actively promote learner autonomy.
• To contribute to the development, evaluation, and improvement of English language courses, materials and related services, in order to best meet learners’ needs.
• To actively engage in professional development and performance management systems and procedures to assure high standards in teaching and learning.
• To support marketing and promotional activities and to assist the teaching team in delivering excellent customer service.
• To ensure safeguarding standards are rigorously applied and upheld in line with applicable policy in the following areas:
• Child protection
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
• Health and safety
Qualifications
Essentials
• Undergraduate Degree (BA or equivalent/ higher)
• Cambridge CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL, or equivalent recognised entry-level qualification to teach English as a Foreign or Second language
• High proficiency in English i.e. IELTS Band 8/9 in each of 4 sections of the academic module
Desirable
• CELT- YL extension or TYLEC or commit to complete these courses while in post.
• DELTA or Dip TEFL/TESOL (Core Teachers)
• PGCE primary/ secondary
Work Experience
Essentials
• 2-3 years’ post-certificate (Cambridge CELTA/Trinity Cert TESOL) international teaching experience
• Experience in teaching relevant age groups
• Secondary and Adults General English 16+ (1,500+ hours)
• Young Learners and Adults (18+) – 1500+ hours
Salary & Benefits
• Salary: Basic monthly – 2,10,000 LKR – 2,50,000 LKR (depending on qualification and work experience).
• Annual Leave: Annual paid leave is 35 days.
• Medical Allowances: Group Medical Insurance cover with an inpatient cover of LKR 750,000 per family unit.
• Settling-in allowance :(if you are recruited from outside Sri Lanka) – Equal to 3 weeks’ salary for an accompanied employee and equal to 2 weeks’ salary for the unaccompanied employee. Separate Rent loans for expat / overseas recruited teachers and then are deducted from salary.
Assistance provided by Resources by sharing leads for brokers for searching accommodation. Permanent accommodation to be paid by employees themselves
• Baggage allowance :(if you are recruited from outside Sri Lanka) One Time accountable Baggage Allowance £ 1,200 for single employees and £ 2,000 for accompanied
• Other Allowance:
• 29,000 LKR/month – If recruited from the country
• 100000 LKR/month – (Travel + Living) – if you are recruited from outside Sri Lanka
Additional Information
• Contract Duration: 12 Months
• Contract Hours: 37.5 hours/week
• Contract Teaching Hours: up to 25 hours/week
• Tentative start date: May 2025
• Work schedule: Teaching is currently face-to-face 7 days a week but Young Learner courses are mostly delivered on Fridays and Saturdays. This may be subject to change in the future.
• Local restrictions on employment: Applicants must have the right to work in Sri Lanka. Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in the country in which the role is based.
Given that our offices have different legal statuses depending on the work we do in those countries, we recommend that you contact HR in the country for additional information on the likelihood of securing a visa. Only at its discretion will the British Council provide support so please check first whether visa support is offered
Closing date and time – 17 April 2025 (23:59 Indian Standard Time)
A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.
Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement
The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do.
We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability.
All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.
The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.
We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.
Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.
If you have any problems with your application please email askhr@britishcouncil.org
Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ‘ASK HR’ email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.
